Shelton PD: Fake 911 call led to fire truck crash

Updated 8:57 am, Friday, October 14, 2011

SHELTON -- A city fire truck responding to what turned out to be a fake 911 call was involved in an accident with two other vehicles Thursday morning that sent one person to the hospital, police said.

A 16-year-old male Shelton High School student -- who was not identified because of his age -- has been charged with making the phony call, police said.

Police said they received a 911 call from a male around 11:30 a.m., who said, "help, fire," and then hung up the phone. Unsuccessful attempts to call the phone number back were made, police said. Officers then traced the call to a cell phone at a Driftwood Lane home.

The fire department was dispatched to the home to investigate the reported fire. While en route, the truck was involved in the accident with two vehicles at the intersection of Leavenworth Road and Maple Lane. The accident is under investigation by the Shelton police traffic division and no arrests have been made or infractions issued related to the crash.

Police and fire personnel said they determined the call was fake. Police were able to track down the owner of the cell phone as a high school student, who gave the phone to a friend, who then made the fake call.

The 16-year-old caller was charged with first-degree falsely reporting an incident, a Class D felony, and misuse of the emergency 911 system.